Robins and Viveash have been friends for years, having been team-mates at Walsall in the late 1990s.

Former defender Viveash, who started his career at his home-town club Swindon, also played for Reading among others before becoming a highly regarded coach at Chelsea FC’s Academy over the last nine years.

Asked what he’s brought to the group, Robins said: “He has brought a lot of nous and know-how.

“He’s good.

“He has worked at the top level Academy and he’s probably the most successful ever Academy coach in this country.

“He left Chelsea in the summer for whatever reason and I have known him for 20 years or so and I rang him. I rang Steve first to speak about the situation and he gave me his blessing to do something, and we moved pretty quickly.

“We’re lucky because we have got Steve, who is recovering, and we have got a good coach in there working with us as well.”

As for his strengths, Robins said: “He’s a coach – a good coach with good organisation and eye for detail.

Pointing the way from the technical area - Mark Robins and his stand-in No.2 Adi Viveash

“He’s got a different way of doing things and very similar to what Steve did, which is important as well.

“He’s a different set of eyes with different experiences and it’s something we can marry in and utilise for as long as is necessary or as long as he wants to be with us.”